Convertible easel case



` y July m 1949 G, P. SULLIVAN Erm. 2,476,568

CONVERTIBLE EASEL CASE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 6, 1948.

' frrp NEX July 19, 1949. G. P. SULLIVAN Erm. 2,475,563

CONVERTIBLE EASEL CASE Filed Jan. 6, 194s f z sheets-sheet 2 Patented July 19, 1949 Farmington, Mich., assis-nordic; Thef Handy Organization, Inc., Dtnit''Mcln, at

corporation of Delaware Application January .6, Serial 8 ClzvilhS (Cl.

1 This.l invention relates to'a convertible easel -casefan object ofthe invention being to provide' a portable ca-se adapted to be closed by means of a removable hinged cover and' carrying therein ra folda'ble easelI frame which, when the' case is' open, may be unfolded into upright position and supported by means o'fv the hingedl cover 'of the case, thereby providing in convenient fashion an easel :for supporting charts, drawing 'or sketch sheets, andthe like'.

A further objectjof the invention is to provide a generally rectangular case having a removable hinged cover and/'carrying a foldable chart or easel frame, the case when closedv resembling a, conventional suitcase, but' being-convertible into an easel by utilizing the main section of the yeasev as the base-and the removable cover asa back rest for the easel frame when unfoldedv into upright position.

Another object of the inventionis to provide-a portable case containing a' :flinda'bley .easel fra-me which may be converted readily and quickly' into an easel for supporting; charts, 'drawing and sketch sheets, andv the like, the easel frame when unfolded and supported in upright position having a width and height approximating twice those of the case. Injaccordance with an important aspect' of the' invention the hinged cover `oi? the case is detachable'fromone side'of the case and is .adapted to be hingedly' connectedv at'the opposite side so vas to provide an inclined back rest for the easel'frame, the sections of which are held rgidly'together so as to provide a sturdy inclined sectional board orpanel. y

Other objects of this invention I,will appear inv the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the ac'companying drawings A:forming a part of this' specification wherein like reference` characters designate' correspon-ding partsin the several views.

Fig. 1 is -a perspective view of ja convertible easel case or the like embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the easel case with the cover' in open position yand disconnected from the case proper. l l

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view illus; trating the separable hingeelements for the cover and'case. y

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the cover removed land" the sectional'easel frame' in `partially unfoldedxcondition'. .l

Fig. 5 is a' perspective*v iew illustrating the structure gin] full .converted condition, this, view b'eing'taken fromy the*rear"'of` the easel frame.

Fig.Y c is :e perspective 'view cf the structure i in converted condi'tionf.l 'tins bci-ng taken from the front of' the easel: frame. y

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary pers cti-ve view illustrating the' 'separable hinge elements vby means of whiic-l'iv the Vcinica: mayY be 'connected' to the case when'r used as a backrest forthe easel frame, this view illustrating the ningeelements enclosed within thecirqieninris. '5.

Before explainiigfin detaill the present invention; it is tob'eunderstood that the invention is notl limited inits` application to the details lof construction end arrangement of parts, y illus- `tratedin; the.' accompanying'. drawings, since the invention'isv capable: of' other embodimentsv and of*v being practiced orcarried` fout in various-Ways. Also it is tobe understood that the phraselology or tenrnncioev empiyed'he'r'ein is for the purpose ci'.v description' anduk not of lmitation In the drawings" there isi illustrated, `'byw-ay of `example,' onefembodirnent of a convertible easel ca-se'cr' the' like which Acomprises in general a portable Ycase or box l0 ofg'enerally rectangular shape. preferably resembling 1a conventional suitcase,4 provided vvvitira removable hinged cover H within which the fo'ltlable' 'easel' frame is enclosed wlieriv the' carrying case i'syclosed in the` manner Fig". 1. The case isprovded with 'al conventional handler Hand; fastener devices l'3 for locking the cover i'n closed position wh'enthe' caseisgbin'g transported.

Inthe present embodiment the cover Il is utilized'v as a back' '1"e`stfcpr` the easel frame and, accordirigly'l the "cover is hinged to' the rear edge of the' casebyjrneans ofiapiair of's'paced hinge devicescomp'risingi "sepagrabljei hinge elements I4 and l5.' As shown Vpartcliflarly in Fig. 3, the hinge eiernents' cnnier'ribers 4 areA secured in spac'edieat'on tthe" utside'of the batikV Wall Illa of thec'a-sfe.. t) ,neanth'efpper edge thereof, thes'erniemberfs terminating' in coil portions 14a. The hinge elementsorl members l5 are secured to the rearedgel iciof the cover H and -are provided with hingepins I'sdinsertable .intcthe coil portions'V Ma' whenit 'sldesired to hingedly connect the lcover to the casein th'e'inanner shown in'Fig. [1. In order toset'upthe easel the cover i lj isy opened..l shown Fig.' 2'.' and is shifted laterally Vin the direction ofi the arrows in Fig. 3

Vin orderlto' disconnect thefhng'e ,pins 15a' :froml readily detaeh'ablerrcm .the case' 'and' may then be eonvertedirvitd baickirest'or the easel frame. For the' purps'e'of Su'oiortine;the cover' I`| in-k position as a back rest one side edge Ilb of the cover and the front wall Illb of the case are provided with cooperating spaced hinge devices which comprise separable hinge elements similar to the hinge elements I4 and I5. Referring particularly to Fig. 7, each of these hinge devices, by means of which the cover is supported in back rest position, comprises a hinge member or element I6 secured to the inside of the edge IIb of the cover and provided with a projecting hinge pin ISG.. In addition, each hinge device comprises a hinge member or element rI'I secured to the inside of the wall Ib of the caseenear the upper edge thereof. Each hinge element lI'I terminates in a coil portion Ila adapted to receive the hinge pin IGa. Thus, after the cover II has been removed from the case in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 4, it may be turned around at right angles so as to have its longer dimension extending upwardly. The hinge pins Ita may then be inserted into the-coil portions I'la, thereby con-- necting the cover tothe front -of the case in the mannershown inFig. 5'. l f y T-he case I D. carries a folding easel frame I8 which, in the present instance, comprises a lower section' Ia and an upper section I8b which are permanently hinged together at I9. The sections I8a and I8?) of the easel frame are dimensioned so as to t within'the interior of the case IIJ in the manner -shoWn in Fig. 2wth the upper section I8b folded underneath the lower section Illa, thus enabling the sections to lie snugly within the case. The lower section I8a. of the sectional easel framev is hinged at its lower edge to the upper edge of the back vwall Ia of the case by means of interiorly located laterally spaced hinge devices2.'V By virtue of this construction the sectional easel frame is permanently connected to the rear wall of the case and may be readily folded into thecase or yunfolded so as to position the easel sections in a common upwardly inclined plane as shown in Fig. 6.

In orderY to set up the easel the cover is opened and removed as previously described. The easel sections are then partially unfolded so as to occupy their relative positionsY shownY in Fig. 4. Thereupon the cover I I is -connected to the front wall IIlb ofthe case through the medium of the hinge elements I6 and I1. Upon hinging the cover to the front of the case in this manner the easel sections are then fully unfolded so as to extend in upright positions and in a common plane. The'cover is then tilted into inclined position so as tov engage the upper section of the easel frame and is held in supporting relation b'y means of a strip 2l secured to the back of the section I8b near the upperedge thereof. The strip 2| serves as a rest or abutment engaged at its lower edge by the upper edge of the cover I I when used as a back rest, as shown in Fig. 5. In order to render the easel sections rigid and prevent relative movement thereof at the hinge joint between the sections, there are preferably provided a pair of channel stifeners 22. These channel strips maybe vsupported upon the side edges of the easel section IBb, when the easel is collapsed, see Fig. 4, and after the easel has been fully set up in the manner shown in Fig. 5 the channel strips 22 may be slid down from their dotted line positions so as to embrace the edges of both easel sections and thereby provide a stili; and rigid supporting board or easel held iirmly in inclined upright position by means of the cover'ILwhen positioned as a back rest. The lower easel section I8a may be connected at one side to the case 4 I0 by means of `a exible check strap 23 which limits the outward position to which the easel may be swung when unfolding the same. The upper edge of the cover I I, when positioned as a back rest, is preferably detachably secured to the easel section I8b by meansvof a flexible strap 24 secured to the cover and adapted to be connected to the upper easel section by means of any conventional snap fastener 25. The upper easel section IibV also preferably carries bolts 21 extending through the easel board or panel and carrying wing nuts 26 vby means of which charts, sketch sheets, etc. may be attached to the easel frame.

We claim:

1. A convertible easel case or the like, comprising a case having a compartment, a foldable easel hinged to the case and including sections hinged together, said sections adapted to be folded into said compartment and to be unfolded so as to extend above the :case in upright -position nwith the sections disposed in coplanar relation, channel strips embracing the edges of said sections and spanning the hinge. joint between the sections, and a cover hinged to one wall of the case and adapted to be arranged in open position to form a back rest for said easel.

2. A convertible easel case or the like, comprising a generally rectangular case forming a compartment, a foldable easel supported by said case and including panel sections hinged together along adjacent edges, Said sections adapted to be folded together to lie in superimposed relation within the compartment and to be unfolded so as to form in common an upright easel, channel strips adapted to embrace the Yedges of said sections so as to hold the sections rigidly. together in coplanar relation, and a hinged coverV for the case adapted to be arranged to form an inclined back rest for said easel.

3. A convertible easel case or the like, comprising a generally rectangular case-forming a compartment, a foldable easel supportedby said case and including panel sections hinged together along adjacent edges, said sections adapted to be folded together to lie in superimposedrelation withinthe compartment and to be unfolded so as to form in common anrupright easel, a cover for the case, means for detachably hinging the cover to one wall of the case so as to provide a closure for the compartment, and means for detachably hinging the cover to another wall of the case so as to provide a back ,rest for the easel. Y*

4. A convertible easel case or the like, comprising a generally rectangular case forming a, compartment, a foldable easel supported by said case and including panel sections hinged together along adjacent edges, said sectionsAadapted toY be folded together to 'lie in superimposed relation within the compartment and tolbe unfolded so as to form in common an upright easel, a cover for the case, means for detachably hinging the cover to one wall of the case so as to'provide a closure for the compartment, and means for detachably hinging the cover toanother wall of the case so as to provide a back rest forthe easel, and means for detachably connecting the cover to the easel When the coveris positioned as a back rest.

5. A convertibleV easelcase or the like, comprising a case having Va bottom and-four side Walls extending therefrom to formtherewith a compartment, a foldable easel Vhinged to one wall of the case and including panel sections Vhingedtogether, said sections being foldable into the compartment and adapted to be unfolded to extend upwardly from the case in coplanar relation to provide an easel, means for holding the sections rigidly together when unfolded, a co-ver for the compartment, means for detachably hinging the cover to one wall of the case so as to provide a closure for the compartment, and means for detachably hinging the cover to a Wall of the case so as to provide a back rest for the easel.

6. A convertible easel case or the like, comprising a case having a bottom and four side walls extending therefrom to form therewith a compartment, a foldable easel hinged to one wall of the case and including panel sections hinged together, said sections being fcldable into the compartment and adapted to be unfolded to extend upwardly from the case in coplanar relation to provide an easel, means for holding the sections rigidly together when unfolded, a cover for the compartment, means for detachably hinging one edge of the cover to one wall of the case so as to provide a closure for the compartment, and means for detachably hinging another edge of the cover to a wall of the -case so as to provide a back rest for the easel. Y

7. A convertible easel case or the like, comprising a generally rectangular case having a bottom and four side walls extending therefrom to form therewith a compartment, a foldable easel hinged to one wall of the case and including panel sections hinged together, said sections being foldable into the compartment and adapted to be unfolded to extend upwardly from the case in coplanar relation to provide an easel, means shiftable into and out of position for holding the sections rigidly together when unfolded, a cover for the compartment, means for detachably hinging one edge of the cover to one wall of the case so as to provide a closure for the compartment, and means for detachably hinging an adjacent edge of the cover to the opposite wall of the case so as to provide a back rest for theeasel.

8. A convertible easel case or the like, comprising a generally rectangular case having a bottom and four side walls extending therefrom to form therewith a compartment, a foldable easel hinged to one wall of the case and including panel sections hinged toegether, said sections bieng foldable into the compartment and adapted to be unfolded to extend upwardly from the case in coplanar relation to provide an easel, means shiftable into and out of position for holding the sections rigidly together when unfolded, a cover for the compartment, means for detachably hinging one edge of the cover to one wall of the case so as to provide a closure for the compartment,v means for detachably hinging an adjacent edge of the cover to theopposite wall of the case so as to provide a back rest for the easel, and abutment means on the upper panel section engaged by the upper edge of the cover when positioned as a back rest.

GERALD P. SULLIVAN. OTTO L. SIMUNICH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

